


Stronger Than You Know

by Ihateallergies



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Blink And You Miss It Slash, But not before Fitz shames the piss out out of Ward, FitzMack - Freeform, Gen, Redemption
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-08
Updated: 2014-10-22
Packaged: 2018-02-20 10:49:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2426003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ihateallergies/pseuds/Ihateallergies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"He wanted me to put a bullet in the back of your head!"</p><p>"...S-some-sometimes I wish... I wish you did."</p><p>-</p><p>Title taken from Superheroes by the Script</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Heart of Steel Starts to Grow

**Author's Note:**

> It's not that I don't think that Grant shouldn't be or can't be forgiven, I just reeeaaally want him to cry about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Title taken from Superheroes also.

After the first time Fitz visited the Asset, he started going a lot. He wouldn't alert him of his presence; he'd just sit in that lone chair and watch as the man paced around the room, unaware of his audience.

After his third visit, Director Coulson called him up to his office. Fitz was honestly surprised that it didn't happen sooner.

"Agent Fitz," he greeted, his smile even smaller than normal.

"D-Director." He wasn't nervous, despite his stuttering.

"You've been visiting the Asset quite often, recently, which is to say, at all."

"Yeah, b-but I haven't- I haven't uh, been..." He snapped his fingers near his ear, willing his mouth and his mind back in sync.

"Talking to him? Depriving him of oxygen?"

Fitz sighed, though the look on Coulson's face was more than understanding. "Yes, that."

"Is there any particular reason why you've been watching Ward?"

Despite himself, Fitz flinched at the name and the question. "Well it's, uh, it's be-because..." Phil didn't try to help Fitz with this sentence; he just eyed him patiently. Leo looked to his mind's echo of Simmons. She shrugged. "I- I don't know."

Coulson nodded solemnly. "Mackenzie says that you've been doing better with recollection these past few days."

Fitz frowned. "And you think that's because of Ward?" His frown only deepened as he realized one of the few complete sentences he'd made since waking was about the man who'd broken him.

"I didn't say that, Fitz. All I am saying is that, as of yet, I see no reason to ban you just yet. In fact, it could actually help us. Other than Skye, you're the only person who has been able to get information out of him."

Fitz smiled somewhat darkly and Phil noted that it was not a good look on him. "N-n-not sure if that was cuz of me or... Or..." He pressed the heel of his palm into his eye.

"Right, about that. If anything like that happens again you'll be banned from seeing him. No one wants to see him pay more than you, Skye, May and I-"

"I know," Fitz interrupted more sharply than he intended. "Sorry, I know. You... We need him f-for his... For his..." He frowned. "For his stuff."

Coulson put a steady hand on his shoulder. "Exactly. And though I'm not stopping you from seeing him, there are ground rules." He waited for the younger man to speak but continued when he said nothing. "You can visit him once a week for an hour unsupervised. Any other time, you'll need another person. I'll gladly go with you and I'm sure if you ask May or Skye-"

"Mack." At Coulson's raised brow, he said. "I w-want Mack to go with me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I said I was through writing MCU fanfiction after six days straight of Avengers themed fever dreams. I lasted 24 hours. I have a problem.


	2. Turn the Pain into Power

Fitz made the cell barrier transparent for people on both sides, choosing to ignore the fact that the oxygen controls were disabled and the fact that he looked. He felt his breath hitch when they made eye contact; there was something inherently different about the mutual awareness.

"Fitz," Ward began. He eyed the tablet in his hand, glancing at the security camera.

"If-if you... You're worried about... About...about..." There was an extended pause as Fitz looked for the word. "Hypoxia. If you're worried about that... Don't be. They- the...Coulson locks those controls when I'm..."

The urge to reply with a quip, a joke that a lifetime ago would have made them both crack easy smiles. He bit it down. Instead, he found himself doing something that he didn't even do for Skye: willingly offering information.

"I know this is hard for you," he began with all the air of talking someone off a ledge. "Do you need something?"

Fitz scoffed. "Do y-you believe this?" He asked the shade of Jemma in a low voice. She and Ward had twin frowns.

_I don't think I should be here, Fitz. He doesn't need another opportunity to hurt us._

And he knew she was right, knew that Ward didn't need another weakness to exploit, but he couldn't do this without her, not yet at least. Fitz didn't dare speak the words aloud, but he willed the thoughts into 'her' mind.

It worked. She gave him a placating smile and gently put a hand on his shoulder. _I'll stay. I'll be here as long as you need me to. Just don't let him know._

He nodded, resisting the urge to grip at her imagined fingers. "D-do you believe this? Do you believe your own words?" He asked again louder, this time to Ward. "'Cause I don't. I don't th-th-think you care about an-anything. Not anybody. Not me, not Simmons… Not Skye..."

There was tick in Grant’s jaw at Skye’s name. "Regardless, there has to be something you want. If you don't believe me, that's up to you."

"It's uh- I, I-uh I want..." Fitz struggled with his words but neither the echo of Jemma nor Ward tried to intervene. He pinched the bridge of his nose hard enough to bruise. "Punish! Punishment..."

"You're here to punish me?" And Ward knew he had no right, no right whatsoever, but he felt a stab of hurt.

"I-what-no," Fitz replied. "I need it. A...a um," he collapsed in the chair, tossing the tablet aside. "A reminder! A reminder of how stupid it- I was... H-how I believed in you until the very end..."

The room lapsed into uneasy silence. Instead of calming, though, Leo Fitz began to shake, tremors racking his whole body.

"Fitz-"

"QUIET!" He shouted, rising to his feet and knocking over the metal chair. "J-just--" he began, calmer this time but he was interrupted by the sound of the door opening. His head whipped around. "Mack--"

"Come on, Turbo. The little science club is falling apart without you. I can't scare 'em like you do."

Before Fitz could say anything, the man, Mack, shot a contemptuous look towards Ward before darkening the partition.


End file.
